Happy New Year! In the coming years, we anticipate that the Facility Management industry will continue to undergo even greater digital transformation. By leveraging optimization solutions that have expanded to also focus on enhanced asset performance and maintenance management, your facilities team can save money, reduce risk, and improve efficiency.
It is vital that organizations with complex operations and wide-ranging facility portfolios future-proof their building systems and capital investments by implementing a facility optimization strategy powered by innovative facility management software such as FOUNDATION.
Here we discuss the top technology trends that are set to transform Facility Management, Condition Assessment, and Capital Planning!
In the coming years, there will be a greater adoption of Internet of Things-enabled equipment by facilities management across various applications.
Among the top benefits of greater implementation of IoT devices is improved energy efficiency and occupant experience. Examples include installing more sensors for lights and automated temperature controls, which will enable further visibility into energy usage and management.
Read our guide to the facility optimization revolution.
Internet-connected devices are generating datasets for buildings that have never existed before, and these can now be leveraged through machine learning. Building owners, managers, and engineers will use machine learning to sift through data and unlock insights into market trends, building performance optimization, and other big-data applications.
This is one of the top tech tools on our radar. BIM offers a significant opportunity to enhance collaboration and communication for facility managers, particularly during the condition assessment process.
Traditionally used by contractors and architects, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a tool for developing and scaling virtual models of building projects. While BIM is not a new technology, it is increasingly becoming commonplace in the facility management sector.
BIM provides Facility Managers with the most comprehensive visual model of facilities, assets, and infrastructure. Facility professionals are harnessing the power of these tools for project management, delivery, and data accessibility. When integrated with existing work order programs or facility maintenance software, facility teams realize an improved ability to retrieve accurate asset information and insights.
Drone technology is rapidly advancing. It is becoming more efficient and less expensive. Imagine performing roof inspections without wasting time or money on scaffolding—this is one of the significant benefits that drones offer to facility and infrastructure owners and operators.
We predict that owners and operators of buildings and infrastructure will begin to integrate drones for aerial surveillance of buildings and outdoor spaces in the years to come. This will allow security personnel to monitor large areas more effectively.
While commercial-use drone technology is still emerging and numerous safety considerations must be addressed, there have been successful examples of drones surveying historical sites in NYC, which bodes well for the future use of drones in performing complex condition assessments.
Drones will bring unprecedented opportunities for improved efficiency in facility management. One of the most significant benefits of implementing drones during facility condition assessments is the increased safety and automation they offer. While drone use may not be widespread across the industry, we expect a surge in popularity from Corporate Real Estate executives in the years to come.
Robotic automation is poised to take over the management of repetitive and hazardous tasks. Examples include repetitive tasks and services such as cleaning and security. Types of activities that follow the same process every time, such as sweeping a floor, are prime opportunities for integrating robots into operations.
Further innovations in the early stages of development include robots for security patrol, lawn mowing, and snow removal. There are numerous benefits of robotic automation, including the reduction of operating expenses, freeing up existing staff to focus on higher-value activities while mitigating some of the risks associated with these tasks.
The benefits of automation are boundless. Rather than relying on tenants or facility team members to constantly monitor temperature levels, manage work orders, or switch off the lights, a centralized Building Automation System (BAS) will seamlessly and automatically monitor these key facility functions.
Furthermore, because these systems continually collect data, you will be able to optimize your physical assets based on real-time insights. This enables your facilities management team to analyze usage patterns, which in turn empowers you to develop strategies for saving money and enhancing efficiency across your entire asset portfolio.
While the widespread use of augmented reality is still in its early stages of development for facilities management, this technology has made significant progress in the past few years. There are business use cases in development for end-to-end Augmented Reality solutions that have real potential to transform facilities management.
There are experiments underway by forward-thinking companies with various applications of Augmented Reality to aid workers in specific tasks. For example, a remote-assisted maintenance toolkit that includes endoscopic and thermal cameras, a microphone, and a portable computer.
With these tools, an equipment operator could connect remotely to an expert, who can guide them through a maintenance procedure. Further Augmented Reality maintenance could offer operators support through an integrated helmet with special glasses and software that details proper maintenance procedures.
Central to our mission is the commitment to implementing the latest technological advancements in our enterprise solutions, such as FOUNDATION, so that we can provide our clients with the best software solutions that ensure healthy building and infrastructure operations while also reducing costs, improving productivity, and boosting sustainability.
Software solutions, such as FOUNDATION, help businesses better organize their facility management departments, leading to reduced unplanned downtime, increased productivity, and improved overall business performance. When facility managers transition from organizing inspections and maintenance with paper, pens, and clipboards to implementing software solutions such as FOUNDATION, customers can reduce costs by seven to nine times.
The FOUNDATION software platform is part of this revolution, and these exciting new developments will change the facility management industry. With FOUNDATION, you will be well-equipped to be at the forefront of this wave of digital transformation.
Ready to learn more? Schedule a demo with our team of experts to learn more about how we can help your organization implement tools that will improve efficiency, mitigate risk, and increase ROI.
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